WTA Tour Announces Equal Pay Initiative for 2027 Tennis Season

There has been a lot of discourse and even threatened boycotts due to how much professional tennis players get paid. On Friday, October 2nd, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced that they had made a massive step forward in the quest for gendered pay parity at the highest level of professional play.

Equal Pay at Combined 1000 Events

For the 2027 season, combined WTA 1000 tournaments will institute an equal pay policy for both women and men. Every women’s player will now get the same payout as any men’s player at the same tournament. Five combined tournaments had already instituted that policy, but now the Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open, and Italian Open will join to make equal pay universal.

WTA chair Valerie Camillo said that the major change “demonstrates the WTA’s continued commitment to leading the sports industry in delivering our athletes competitive and financial equality and is a testament to the enduring nature of the founding vision of the WTA.”

Jessica Pegula’s Reaction

WTA No. 3 Jessica Pegula, the chair of the tour’s architecture council, also applauded the decision to reduce the required WTA 500 tournaments that a top 50 player must participate in. The number was changed from six to four, meaning that women’s players only have to compete in 18 tournaments each year, including the four Grand Slams.

“As players, we’re on the road most of the year, so having more flexibility in our schedules and commitments makes a real difference,” Pegula said. “The 2027 changes give us more ability to build our seasons around our own goals competitively and personally. That’s an impactful step forward for players.”

Ongoing Dispute with Players and Organizers

The WTA’s announcement today occurs amid a somewhat ongoing public dispute between professional players and tournament organizers over pay. A group of top players in 2025 issued a joint statement calling for a higher share of tournament revenues, player welfare programs, and an athlete advisory council.

In May of this year, players began protests by limiting their post-match press conferences to 15 minutes to represent their 15% share of Grand Slam revenues. Player boycotts were also suggested but ultimately fell through before each tournament. In August, the Grand Slam tournaments announced a massive increase to US Open prize money as well as the creation of the requested player advisor council.

Pay for the 2028 Season

Equal pay at combined 1000 tournaments and the other changes made for the 2027 season may not continue in the following years. In their official announcement, the WTA said that everything put in place would act as a one-year pilot program. Once the season is complete, the organization will then “evaluate the impact of the changes across the tour to inform decisions for 2028 and beyond.”

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